Nailing-in-metal machine



Dec. 30, 1952 u wm 2,623,209

NAlLlNG-IN-METAL MACHINE Filed March 20, 1950 v 3 Sheets-Sheet'l Q N o a INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 30, 1952 NAILING-IN-METAL MACHINE Kenneth J. Unwin, Kenosha, Wis., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Quaker Stretcher Company, Kenosha, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 20, 1950, Serial No. 150,573

2 Claims.

This invention is concerned generally with the production and insertion of curtain impaling pins in a curtain stretcher frame member or molding and more particularly with the production and insertion of such pins in a metal frame member or molding.

Krah and Block, in their application, Serial Number 740,614, for Pin Setting Machine and Method filed April 10, 1947, now Patent Number 2,504,987, disclose means for forming pins from a length of wire while concurrently inserting the pins in a wooden stretcher molding. The mechanism disclosed by Krah and Block inserts a length of wire directly into a wooden curtain stretcher molding or similar member and periodically advances the molding by means of small teeth biting into the rear face of the molding. Stretcher moldings or similar members of metal or other hard materials cannot be handled by the mechanism disclosed in that application for they are substantially impenetrable by wire. As a result, wire cannot be inserted directly into them and teeth cannot bite into them to advance them. Metal stretcher moldings are more fiexiv hie than wooden moldings and are of different shape and consequently cannot be positioned and supported by mechanism adapted to operate on wooden moldings.

An important object of this invention is the provision of an improved pin setting machine for cutting pins from a length of wire and inserting the same into a metal curtain stretcher molding or other member of similar character.

A further object is the provision in a pin setting machine of means for advancing a metal curtain stretcher molding or other member of similar character without piercing or otherwise marking the molding or member.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a pin setting machine for piercing a hole in a metal curtain stretcher or other member of similar character, inserting a length of wire into the pierced molding, and cutting oif the wire to leave a pin.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision in a pin setting machine as set forth in the foregoing object of means for aligning and for inserting pins to their full depth.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanyin drawings. The invention is disclosed in full in the drawings but in certain instances reference characters similar to those in the Krah and Block application previously referred to are utilized in order that that application may be referred to for additional details if desired. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal elevation of a pin setting machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the receiving end of the feeding mechanism with a stretcher molding about to be inserted;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the feeding mechanism showing its engagement with a stretcher molding;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section along the line i4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of a stretcher molding as taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a cross section as taken along the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a cross section as taken along the line 7-! of Figs. 1 and 4;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the pin driving mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a cross section along the line 9-9 of Fig. 4;

Fig. .0 is a longitudinal section through a stretcher molding showing the various operations performed by the pin setting mechanism; and

Fig. 11 is a cross section through a stretcher molding similar to that shown in Fig. 5 with a pin inserted.

The illustrations show a machine or portion of a machine capable of operating upon one stretcher molding at a time. It is contemplated that multiple stations and feeding mechanisms can be provided to operate concurrently upon any desired number of curtain stretcher moldings. As the additional parts would be merely duplications of those shown, they have been omitted from the drawings and description for the sake of clarity of the drawings.

The invention may be understood most readily by a reference first to a curtain stretcher molding 362 as shown in Figs. 5 and 11. The stretcher molding comprises a longitudinal box-shaped channel having a front face 304, side walls 396 and 338 and an inturned rear stiffening flange m. A rear face 3|2 extends laterally from the sidewall 302 and is bent forwardly at 3 I 4 and then rearwardly upon itself at 3l6 to form an inverted substantially u-shaped channel 311. It will be seen that the top or front edge of this channel is closer to the side wall 308 than is the bottom or rear edge. The bight of the U-shaped channel is flattened as at 3|8 and a longitudinal crimp 320 in the rear face 3I2 prevents spreading of the open edge of the channel. As shown in Fig. 11, the finished pin 322 inserted in the channel 311' is provided with a barbed portion 324 adjacent its lower end and with a ball point top 326. Due to the tilted channel 311, the pins are tipped slightly that they best may engage a curtain or other fabric.

Individual moldings 332 as shown in Fig. 2 are fed by hand on to mechanical feeding means which advance them stepwise through a pin setting station 28 (Fig. l) The moldings are fed in close succession through the pin setting station 20 and are properly timed in their advance therethrough so that holes are pierced in the molding to receive pins at predetermined spaced locations. The pins are formed from wire W which is inserted in the pierced holes and severed and is supplied to the pin forming and setting appara tus at the station 28 from a supply spool which. is not shown. From the pin setting station, the moldings 332 are delivered to any desired receiving means.

Aligned with the pin setting station .23 is a feed chain 26 meshed with a sprocket 28 and a sprocket 38. The sprocket 30 is supported directly from a stand 24 while the sprocket 23 is supported by adjustable means subsequently to be disclosed. The stand 24 carries a table 32?, bed 328 and an auxiliary bed 336 laterally spaced therefrom. Angle brackets 332 and 33 s are se- A support bar 338 is secured to the underside 1 of the free end of angle bracket 332 by any suitable means such as screws. Elongated longitudinal slots 340 are provided near the free end of the support bar 338 and screws extend through the slots to support an axle block 344 supporting the axle 32 of sprocket 23. An upstanding flange 346 is secured to the outer end of the axle block 344 and is provided near its upper edge with a set screw 348 abutting the support bar 338. By means of the slots 348 and screws 342 and set screw .348, the axle block 344 may be adjusted in order to keep the feed chain 26 taut at all times. A plurality of lugs 358 are secured to the feed chain 26 at spaced intervals in order tc engage the ends of moldings 332 spaced in the guideway 333 on rails 352 to thereby advance the moldings.

A locator flange 334 extends longitudinally substantially the entire length of the bed 323 and is secured thereto at spaced intervals by spacers 35S and screws 358. As molding 332 leaves guideway 338 it is positioned against the locator flange 354 by means of a guide roller 333 (Figs. 1 and 6). It will be noted in 6 that the upper or contacting faces of the bed and the auxiliary bed 328 and 3353 are inclin :l so that the tilted channel 3|! of the molding 33?. may be substantially straight up and down. The guide roller 33% is accordingly provided with a bevelled or angled periphery in order that it may hold the rear 3l2 in contact with the supporting face of the bed'323 while maintaining the channel 3 i i in engagement with the locator flange s34. The guide roller 330 is supported by a stud shaft 382 which is in turn carried by an arm 363 carried by shaft 368 pivotally mounted in a bracket 3% on the table 327. A coil spring 31% circumscribes the shaft 358 to urge the guide roller down against the rear face 3E2 of the molding and may also urge the roller outward against the channel 4 311. A finger 312 on the rear end of shaft 356 engages a. stop 314 to prevent the roller from moving downward too far when no molding is in place beneath it.

As the molding 382 is further advanced, the channel 311 is positionedand supported by an overlying horizontal flange 376 of an angle bracket 318 secured as by screws to the bed 321. The inner edge of the flange 313 is provided with a relieved portion 319 to provide clearance for a piercer or punch as will be apparent hereinafter. The box-like portion of the molding 332 is supported and located by a flanged wheel 38!] (Figs. 4 and 7). The flange 382 on the wheel has a bevelled inner face to engage the sidewall 38B of the molding while the periphery of the wheel 38!! is inversely bevelled in order to engage the front wall 384 of the molding. The wheel 330 is mounted for rotation on an arm 384 carried by the shaft 386 pivotally mounted on a bracket 383 on the table 327. A coil spring 393 circumscribes the shaft 386 to maintain the flanged wheel 383 in proper position against the molding 382 while a finger 392 on the butt end of the shaft engages a stop 394 to prevent the wheel from assuming too low a position when no molding is beneath it.

At and adjacent the pin setting station 20, the molding is engaged by a positioning flange 393 (Figs. 4 and 9). The positioning flange 398 is provided with an upset ledge 398 which bears against the inner face of the sidewall 308 of the molding 302. The positioning flange is secured to the table 321 by a pair of bolts 483 fitting through transversely elongated slots 432. Abutments 404extend upwardly from an edge of the table 321 and are provided with apertures 406 from which coil springs 433 extend to surround locator pins 4H] and abut against the edges of the positioning flange 386 to maintain the upset ledge 398 in engagement with the molding 302. It will be noted that the leading and trailing edges of the positioning flange 398 and the locator flange 354 are provided with rounded corners properly to locate the molding. With particular reference to Fig. 9, it will be seen that the auxiliary bed 330 is discontinued throughout the length of the positioning flange 396.

After the molding has passed the pin setting station 20 proper positioning is attained by a second flanged wheel M2 and by the locator flange 354. The flanged wheel M2 is similar to the flanged wheel 380 previously described and is mounted in the same fashion.

Returning now to the sprocket 33 at one end of the driving chain 26, this sprocket is seen to be mounted on a shaft 34 which is connected by a pawl and ratchet mechanism generally designated 36 (Fig. 1) to a reciprocatory link 38. The link 38 is connected to a lever 48 pivotally supported on a stationary wall .2 extending upwardly from the supporting stand or table 24. The lever 40 carries a cam follower 44 that cooperates with a cam 46 mounted on a cam shaft 48. The cam shaft 48 is journalled in bearings on a wall 42 and is driven by a motor which is not shown. Tension springs 49 act on a link 33 to urge the follower 44 against its cam 66. As the cam shaft 48 is rotated the cam 4% acts on the cam follower 44 to reciprocate the links 38. This action is effective through the pawl and ratchet mechanism 35 to impart stepwise movement to the feed chain 28.

Referring to Fig. l and particularly to Fig. 8. there is provided at the pin setting station 28 a structure including a stationary portion and several vertically reciprocating portions. The stationary portion is supported from the wall 42 by a bracket 88 having a depending leg 90. A bushing 92 is suitably secured as by a press fitting in the leg 90 to guide the wire W downwardly into the movable portion of the pin setting apparatus. A pawl or a dog 94 is pivoted on the leg 90 and has a wire gripping jaw which extends through an aperture 95 in the side of the bushing 92 to engage the wire W. A spring 99 extends between the tail of the pawl 94 and a movable head 90 of the pin setting apparatus. The pawl 94 is so arranged as to prevent upward movement of the wire W while allowing downward movement.

- The head 98 is secured to a block slidably mounted on a vertical face of the wall 42 between guide strips IOI on which retaining strips I03 are secured. A pin I02 extends rearwardly from the block I00 through an opening I04 in the wall 42. A tension spring I06 is extended from the pin I 02 to a rod I08 threaded through a nut IIO supported by a bracket [I2 on the rear face of the wall 42. The tension of the spring I06 is adjustable by threading the nut I I0 along the rod I08.

A vertical rod or post II4 extends upwardly from the head 98 to which it is secured. A cam follower (not shown) journalled in the upper end of the rod I I4 cooperates with a cam (not shown) on the cam shaft 48. The springs I09 maintain this follower in contact with the cam and rotation of the cam shaft 49 causes the head 98 to reciprocate vertically in timed relation with the stepwise movement of the feed chain 26 so that the head 98 descends during intervals when the chain 26 and the molding 302 carried thereby are stationary. The purpose of this will be explained presently.

A boss I20 on the head 98 is split to afford a clamp in which the upper end of a tubular member or sleeve I22 is held. The sleeve I22 has a lower reduced sleeve portion I24 extending downwardly through a central or axial passageway in a spindle I26 carried by the head 98. The spindle I26 is journalled in ball bearings I21 carried in a sleeve or bushing I28 carried by a split boss or clamp I30 on the hub 98. A pulley I32 is secured on a head portion of the spindle I20 above the boss I39 with the lower face of the pulley I32 riding on the ball bearing IZI. A horizontally extending belt I34 is passed around the pulley I32 and around the pulley I39 (Fig. 1) of a motor I38 carried by a bracket I40 on the wall 42. The belt I34 passes from the opening I64 in the wall 42 and is sufficiently elastic to permit vertical reciprocatory movement of the head 90 while the motor I38 remains stationary.

A split clamp 4I4 having jaws M6 and 4I8 at its lower end is carried by the head 58 as by screws 420 threaded into the boss I30. The jaws M and M8 are clamped together by a screw 422 and hold a punch or piercing member .24. Each time the head 93 descends, the punch Q24 passes through the relieved portion 318 of the flange 316 to pierce the flat top SIS of the channel 3 of the molding 302 to form an aperture 425 (Figs. 8 and As may be seen best in 10, the punch 424 has a downwardly extending tip portion of reduced diameter with a bevelled shoulder 428 to insure that the edge or the aperture 426 will be directed downwardly and inwardly.

A small cylindrical member I42 is carried within the sleeve I22 in the boss I and has a central opening through which the wire W is passed. A wire feeding pawl I44 is pivoted on the boss I20 and has a wire gripping jaw extending through an aperture I46 in the cylinder I42 to engage the wire W. A spring I48 extends from the tail of the pawl I44 to the boss I39 on the head 98.

Upon descent of the head 98 the pawl hi4 clamps the wire W and forces it downwardly. The lower end of the wire W is driven into the aperture 426 in the molding 392. The wire is slightly larger in diameter than is the aperture 426 so that the wire is firmly gripped by the edges of the aperture and by the side walls of the channel 3I'I. To prevent buckling of the wire intermediate the pawls 94 and I44, the pawl I44 should be positively disengaged from the wire W before the head starts its upward movement. In order to accomplish this, the cylindrical member I42 is mounted on a collar I50 from which depends a tube I52 slidably fitted within the tube I24. A longitudinal wire passageway is formed in the collar 52 and tube I52 and the cylinder I42 is urged upwardly by a coil spring 154 interposed between the collar I50 and the neck of the sleeve I22 where the latter joins the tube I24. A pair of pins I59 extend upwardly from the collar through longitudinal openings in the cylinder Hi2 and through openings in a circular disc or cover plate I53 above the cylinder 542. A yoke I99 movable relative to the head 98 presses the pins I55 downwardly when the wire W has been imbedded in the molding 902 whereby the cylindrical member I42 is caused to descend a short distance relative to the wire W. As the upper edge of the aperture I 59 in the member I42 engages the pawl I44, the pawl is tilted sufficiently to disengage the wire W which allows the pawl to rise without buckling the wire W.

The yoke I69 is pivotally supported by a substantially horizontal U-shaped member I02 having legs straddling the upper portion of the head 93 and secured to vertically extending rods or posts IE6. The reduced lower portions I53 of the rods ass are slidably fitted in apertures extending from the upper part of the head 98. Coil springs I'It" are fitted on the lower ends of the rods I69 and are received in sockets H2 in the lower I15 (Fig. the rods portion of the head Cam followers 1) are carried on the upper ends of I95 and cooperate with cams I on the cam shaft it. The springs I'i2 urge the followers against the cams Ill and also tend to urge the head $52 downwardly against the action of the springs H39 supporting the head. A pair of rods substantially in line with the wire W in Fig. 8 depend from the legs of the yoke I52, pass through clearance openings in the lower part of the head 92, and are threaded into tapped openings in a ring its about the lower portion of the sleeve or bushing I25. Ball bearings I89 are disposed in a raceway between the ring I34 and a ring I38 disposed therebelow. The ring I36 is pressed upwardly against the balls I by coil springs I95 mounted in sockets in the spindle 26.

A. bracket $52 is carried on the bifurcated member H52 and supports the adjusting screw I94. A spring I96 extends between the adjusting screw I94 and the extending tail of the pivoted yoke I60. Downward movement of the bifurcated member I92 continues under the influence of the cams I25 relative to the head 98 when the latter has reached its lower limit of travel. The spring I96 is thereby tensioned to apply forc to the end of the yoke iii-Ii engaging the pins I56 to produce the action described 7 above whereby the feed pawl I44 is in disengaged from the wire W.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 9, there will be seen a rod 200 depending from the bifurcated member I62 and held in an adjusted position by nuts 202 threaded thereon. A cam block 204 (see also Fig. 4) is carried the the lower end of the rod 200 and cooperates with the rear edge of a slide 206 mounted between a pair of blocks 208 and 209 secured to the bed 328. A pin 2I0 depends from the slide 208 through a slot in the lower block 208 and a spring 2I2 is extended between the pin 2I0 and an anchor pin 2I4 anchored in the table 327. The spring 2I2 tends to retract the slide 206. A plate 2I-6 is slidably mounted on a pair of studs 2I8 threaded into the block 208 on either side of the cam block 204. Coil springs 220 placed between the plate 2 I 6 and nuts 222 on the studs 2I8 urge the plate 2I8 against the rear edge of the cam 204. exerts suflicient force to retract the slide 206 against the action of the springs 220 when the cam 204 is raised.

The wire W is led from its supply spool over suitable guides to pass downwardly through the sleeve 92 (Fig. 8), the cylinder I42, the tube I52, a sleeve 224 at the lower end of the spindle I26 and then to pass between the slide 206 and a finger 226 formed on a plate 228 secured to the block 208. The sleeve 224 is recived in suitable recesses in the lower end of the spindle I26 and in a plate 230 secured thereto and extends through an aperture in a flanged cap 232 secured to the plate 230 by suitable means such as a set screw 234 in the flange of the cap. A set screw 236 in the cap 232 secures the sleeve 224 in position.

The positions of the parts when the head has descended to embed the wire in the molding 302 is shown in Fig. 8 before the bifurcated member I62 has completed its descent. In this figure there is also shown a small cam pin 238 slidably mounted in the lower part of the spindle I26 and having a bevelled edge cooperable with the bevelled edge of a slide 240. ed in a horizontal guide way in the bottom face of the spindle I26 and this guide way is lined with strips 242 of hardened steel to minimize wear. A knife 224 having a serrated cutting edge adapted to form and sever the pins 322 is attached to and depends from this slide 240. A pair of pins (not shown) extends from the right end of the slide 240 as seen in Fig. 8 into a pair of corresponding apertures in the block 230 and coil springs in these apertures urge the slide and knife 244 away from the wire W.

When the yoke is depressed by the cams I'I6 the ring I84 is pushed downwardly by the rods connecting it to the yoke. This causes the ball bearing retaining yoke I88 to move downwardly against its biasing springs I90 to bear upon the upper end of the pin 238. As the pin 238 is forced downwardly it cams the slide 240 to the right as viewed in Fig. 8 until the extremity of the cutting edge of the knife 244 has penetrated the wire W a distance substantially equal to the radius of the wire. As the spindle I26 is rotated continuously by the motor I38 the knife turns about the wire W to form and sever the wire. A portion of the knife 244 forms the upper end of the pin- 322, (Fig. 11) substantially into the form of ball at a given distance from the molding 302. Another portion of the knife 244 forms an anchor portion 324 in the wire W immediately above the preceding pin point, 326. The

The spring 2I2 The slide 240 is mount- 8. knife 244 also serves to sever the wire between the point and anchor portion of succeeding pins.

As the wire is inserted in the aperture pierced for it in the stretcher molding, and as the wire is formed and severed to form a pin, the cam block 204 (Figs. 4 and 9) is in its lower position where it urges the slide 206 against the wire W. The spring pressed plate 2I6 moves outwardly against its biasing spring suificiently to prevent binding of the cam 204. The wire W is clamped between the slide 206 and the finger 226 just above the molding 302 as best may be seen in Fig. 9. As the wire W extends vertically, it fits straight into the channel 3I'I which is vertical due to the slanting supporting surfaces of the bed 328 and the auxiliary bed 330.

The original setting of a pin in the aperture provided for it, may not leave the pin in exact alignment with the pins set previously. To insure exact alignment, each pin is set not quite all the way in at the first in the pin setting operation and a presser foot 256 (Figs. 1, 8 and 10) is secured to and depends from the slide block I00 to engage the upper end of the pin, to properly align the pin, and to press it to its full depth in the molding. The presser foot is provided with a longitudinal aperture 430 adjacent its lower extremity. This aperture is slightly greater in diameter than each pin 322 and is bevelled as at 432 at its lower edge to insure proper engagement of a pin which is not properly aligned. As shown in the illustrations, the presser foot 256 is located a distance equal to the spacing of three pins from the original pin setting station.

As shown in Fig. 10, each time the head 98 descends an aperture 426 is punched in the flat top surface 3I8 of the channel 3I'I of the molding 302. At the same time, the lower end of the wire W, which has an anchor portion formed on its lower end from the last lowering of the head 98, is forced part way into the channel 3I'I through a previously formed aperture 326 and the presser foot 256 tamps down and aligns a previously inserted pin 322. As specific examples of the relative sizes, each aperture 426 may be .0415 inch in diameter while the wire may by .0420 inch in diameter and the longitudinal aperture 430 in the presser foot 256 may be .0450 inch in diameter. The presser foot inserts the pin an additional 5% inch to its full depth. The wire may be seen to be sufficiently larger than the aperture to be gripped by the edges thereof while not being sufficiently larger to be bent upon insertion therein. Similarly, the longitudinal aperture 430 in the presser foot is sufficiently small properly to align the pins but is large enough to fit loosely and prevent any possibility of binding or jamming.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a novel and useful machine has been provided for forming pins from a wire and concurrently inserting them in a row in a curtain stretcher molding or similar member made of sheet metal or other sheet material presenting a hard surface substantially impenetrable by a wire. Means are disclosed for piercing the curtain stretcher molding or similar member so that the wire readily may be inserted and a novel presser foot is provided for aligning inserted pins and t'amping them into their final position. The stretcher moldings or similar members herein acted on are formed relatively impenetrable flexible material and novel means are provided for feeding and supporting them without penetrating or marring their surfaces.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the specific embodiment set forth for purposes of illustration without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited to the precise details disclosed herein but includes all embodiments thereof that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine adapted to insert the end of a wire into material not readily pierced thereby and to leave a predeterminedly shaped portion projecting outwardly therefrom, comprising means for forming an aperture in said material, wire handling means to insert the end of said wire into said aperture, and means operable to sever the projecting portion of the inserted wire whereby to leave an inserted partially projecting wire portion, and a longitudinally apertured member to fit over and tamp said projecting portion farther into said material.

2. A machine adapted to insert the end of a wire into material not readily pierced thereby and to leave a predeterminedly shaped portion projecting outwardly therefrom, comprising means for forming an aperture in said material, wire handling means to insert the end of said wire into said aperture, and means operable to sever the projecting portion of the inserted wire whereby to leave an inserted partially projecting wire portion, and a longitudinally apertured member to fit over and tamp said projecting portion farther into said material, the longitudinal aperture of said member having a bevelled mouth whereby to align improperly oriented wire portions.

KENNETH J. UNWIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 888,989 Fuller May 26, 1908 2,504,987 Krah et al Apr. 25, 1950 

